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E39 (1997 - 2003) The BMW 5-Series (E39 chassis) was introduced in the United States as a 1997 model year car and lasted until the 2004 when the E60 chassis was released. The United States saw several variations including the 525i, 528i, 530i and 540i. -- View the E39 Wiki

Hey guys. I have a problem, couple days ago my 98 528i start shaking and after that i got check engine light on. The code is P0303 (cylinder 3 misfire detected) and i just changed my spark plugs last month and i also checked all my coils they are working. And no leak from anywhere. The mechanic said it might be the valve, and it will cost $300 to $500! Didnt sound good to me...How can i fix this problem?

If it is the coils, a /coil F3 in the bestlinks netted the following:
- How to test a BMW ignition coil (1) (2)

I don't consider those threads all that wonderful for testing coils, in and of themselves (other than the basic hints) ... so if the OP comes up with a better procedure, please let us know so all benefit.

Note: The second link though is great for general misfires!

As for the DTC, the OP needs to go here first:
- How to help someone who has an SES but hasn't read the codes yet (1)

I gotta scratch my head and wonder how you know that just from a single code????

Quote:

Originally Posted by epremsoft

its head gasket! there is a leak on cylinder 3, so it taking coolant and it mixing it with the oil!

Hmmm... cn90 was right. How did he know?

Anyway, we have a ton of links waiting for you once you tell me that ... hope these help.

- Summary advice to provide users who suspect a major engine repair due to overheating (1) (2) (3) (4) & how to test an engine for a blown head gasket, cracked heads, a warped block, stripped head bolt threads, cam seizures, contaminated bearings, coolant hydrolock, or piston, ring, or valve damage (1) (2) & what are the major factors in deciding whether to rebuild the engine, replace the engine, or sell the car (1) & a DIY for replacing the I6 M54 head gasket (1) (2) & replacing the V8 M62TU head gasket (1) & why these engines are so prone to heat-related damage in the first place (1) & welding the crack between cylinder #3 and the water jacket on the exhaust side (1) & what engine swaps are most recommended (1) (2) (3) & where to obtain a new or rebuilt head (1) replacement short block or long block (1) (2) & how to lift & remove the engine (1) & the most recent real-world results from the last 50 people faced with similar blown engine problems from which this advice came from (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) (11) (12) (13) (14) (15) (16) (17) (18) (19) (20) (21) (22) (23) (24) (25) (26) (27) (28) (29) (30) (31) (32) (33) (34) (35) (36) (37) (38) (39) (40) (41) (42) (43) (44) (45) (46) (47) (48) (49) (50)

You might be better off finding a good used engine. Cylinder 3 problems often come with a cracked head on that cylinder. Some have weilded the head and been OK--but there'e going to be alot of down time here--I would think somewhere around 2500 bucks for the fix--u might find a used engine cheaper in the long run.

If you buy a Bentley repair manual, head gasket jobs aren't that hard to DIY but I recommend finding a machine shop to deck the head before reinstalling it. You can DIY for a couple hundred bucks at the most

If you buy a Bentley repair manual, head gasket jobs aren't that hard to DIY but I recommend finding a machine shop to deck the head before reinstalling it. You can DIY for a couple hundred bucks at the most

Yep.

Same engine (M52) I did in December, cost me a little less than $1000, but I did literally EVERYthing. Vanos seal, CCV, ALL hoses, injector o-rings, and even replaced a couple lifters and chain guides. If your lifters are all good, you won't have that expense, but if you have it all apart, I do recommend doing the VANOS seal, CCV, and every last hose you can reach.

If you buy a Bentley repair manual, head gasket jobs aren't that hard to DIY but I recommend finding a machine shop to deck the head before reinstalling it. You can DIY for a couple hundred bucks at the most